Latest news with #budgetdecor
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
I transformed my living room with Amazon & B&Q bargains for as little as £30 – everyone says my makeover is amazing
A THRIFTY woman shared how she upgraded her living room with a few Amazon and B&Q buys. So if you're keen to spruce up your home this year but don't want to fork out a fortune, you've come to the right place, as this transformation is sure to give you inspiration. 2 2 Facebook user Charlotte Blades took to the popular DIY On A Budget Official page where she proved there's no need to spend thousands to give your living room a glow-up. The money-smart woman achieved the epic results thanks to bargains from major retailers, as well as using Facebook Marketplace to source some of the interior. Before the jaw-dropping transformation, the spacious living room boasted cream walls, an old fireplace, as well as a lone lampshade and no curtains for privacy. But after scoring several wallet-friendly bargains, Charlotte managed to give the room a brand new look - and people cannot believe the difference. One of the cheapest items in the epic makeover was the new fireplace which she had stumbled across on Facebook Marketplace for a mere £30. To give the fireplace a more rustic aesthetic, the savvy woman used a wooden pallet - which cost her nothing. The fresh linen curtains, which gave the room a castle-like feel, were also just £30 and found online on Amazon. During the makeover process, Charlotte also decided to ditch the plain walls and used a dark green-grey paint. Fellow DIY lovers can snap up the Woodpigeon paint for just £38 from the home goods store B&Q. Another new feature in the living room was the gorgeous white rug that Charlotte had found on eBay for £85 - and while that may seem expensive, the rug is of a great size and absolutely stunning. I transformed my council house hallway for under £60 - the old laminate has vanished but critics say it 'looks cheap' ''So happy with the results! It doesn't have to be expensive!'' said the Facebook user who also got brown sofas from Facebook Marketplace for the bargain price of £120. 'What a gorgeous job you've done' Since being posted on the popular platform, the jaw-dropping makeover has taken the internet by storm. 10 DIY hacks for under £1 each These simple and affordable DIY hacks can help you get creative while saving money Homemade Air Freshener: Mix baking soda with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Place it in a small jar with a perforated lid to keep your home smelling fresh. Upcycled Tin Can Planters: Clean and paint empty tin cans to use as stylish planters for herbs or small plants. Custom Phone Stand: Use a sturdy piece of cardboard or an old plastic credit card to create a custom phone stand. Decorate it with washi tape or paint. DIY Lip Scrub: Combine sugar and a bit of honey or coconut oil to make a natural lip scrub. Store in a small container. Personalised Bookmarks: Use old greeting cards or decorative paper to create unique bookmarks. Punch a hole at the top and add a ribbon for a finishing touch. Decorative Mason Jars: Paint or decoupage old mason jars to use as decorative vases, storage containers, or candle holders. Easy Cable Organiser: Use empty toilet paper rolls to organize cables and cords. Decorate the rolls with colorful paper or tape. Magnetic Spice Jars: Attach small magnets to the lids of small jars and stick them to a metal board or fridge for easy-access spice storage. Handmade Coasters: Cut out squares from old corkboard or felt and decorate them with paint or fabric to create custom coasters. Natural All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent. Use it to clean surfaces around your home. In just four days, the post has racked up close to a whopping 200 likes, with more than a oxen people flooding to comments to hare their thoughts. As many praised Charlotte, one said: ''Looks lovely and even better when it doesn't break the bank!'' Another agreed, writing: ''Stunning. What a gorgeous job you've done, I love it all.'' A third chimed in: ''Looks amazing. And so rewarding when it doesn't cost an arm and a leg!''
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
I transformed my dated bedroom on a budget with B&Q bargains - people can't believe how professional it looks
A woman has revealed how she gave her dated bedroom the ultimate makeover on a budget with B&Q bargains. Kirsty M Jackson, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, shared before and after snaps of the room on the Facebook group DIY On A Budget and revealed she did it all on 'a small budget.' The before images showed the spacious bedroom was dated and in serious need of some updating. The walls were white woodchip wallpaper, the windows were bare without curtains, the bedframe was an outdated black leather design that clashed with the space, and the ceiling light lacked a lampshade. To make the space more cosy and welcoming, Kirsty removed the dated woodchip wallpaper, painted the room a warmer cream tone and installed pre-made wall panels that she had purchased from B&Q for just £9 per pack. To complete the transformation, she painted the newly installed paneling with Dulux's Overtly Olive, available at B&Q for £22, adding a stylish finish to the space. Kirsty also found a pair of elegant bedside lamps, reduced from £34 to £17 each and she replaced the white bedside lockers with smaller wooden ones. She then added plush furnishings to elevate the space even more, adding a plant, a rattan lampshade from B&Q for £34 and a cosy throw for over the bed. Kirsty M Jackson, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has revealed how she gave her dated bedroom the ultimate makeover on a budget with B&Q bargains Sharing how she did the panelling herself she said: 'I watched some YouTube videos first before I did it. 'They explain it well and easy to follow. Recommend watching those first before you start. It is really easy to do. I did the whole wall in a couple of hours. 'Make sure you measure the wall and work how the spaces between each strip so it's equal.' The end result was a beautiful tranquil looking bedroom which looked like something out of a magazine. Many rushed to the comments to applaud Kristy's DIY transformation with some asking her for advice for their own homes. One person wrote: 'Woodchip wallpaper is absolutely disgusting and such hard work to remove BUT so, so worth the time and hassle well done. Not many people would put such hard work into the prep. It's great to see.' Another said: 'It looks absolutely stunning well done!! I think it would look perfect with wallpaper on the top half above the panelling to really complete it but know how much of a pain wallpapering is lol xx' Someone else added: 'Love it, how much was the panelling if you don't mind me asking,and where from, looks so professional.' Kirsty shared before and after snaps of the room on the Facebook group DIY On A Budget and revealed she did it all on 'a small budget'. The walls were white woodchip wallpaper which had to be stripped back before any work could begin The end result was a beautiful tranquil looking bedroom which looked like something out of a hotel magazine Kirsty also found a pair of elegant bedside lamps, reduced from £34 to £17 each and she replaced the white bedside lockers with small wooden ones She then added plush furnishings to elevate the space even more, adding a plant, a rattan lampshade from B&Q for £34 and a cosy throw for over the bed Many rushed to the comments to applaud Kristy's DIY transformation with some asking her for advice for their own homes A fourth added: 'Well done x Great Transformation xx Very Calming x Ceiling light shade is Fab, where is it from Please x?' It comes after a couple has added £35,000 to the value of their property after transforming the space into a modern family home with a minimal budget. Will Evans, 27, from Devon, has given new life to his current home, with a revamp costing just £3,200. The content creator and his partner, Britt, 26, purchased the three-bedroom, three-bath, detached property for £280,000 in May 2021 and could see the potential as soon as they stepped inside - particularly liking its size. But, the home needed a serious revamp and modernisation in order to make the space their future forever family home. Just four months later, they transformed the home on a tight budget and moved in February 2022. Now, the duo believe they've saved an estimated £10,000 by doing the work themselves. Will said: 'We could see the potential for a brilliant first home and future family home, but it was very outdated, so needed some redecorating. The couple ripped up the red carpet in the sitting room and layed a lavish modern grey carpet, they also bought a new L shaped sofa and removed the dated fireplace 'The house had a few faults, such as leaking bathrooms, but we were told that these had been fixed - upon moving in, we discovered this wasn't the case. 'We wanted a calm, rustic feel [throughout], such as lots of reclaimed wood and wooden features. 'To begin, we've just painted everything white to give us a blank canvas.' Quickly, they started tackling each room - but while Will hasn't renovated any property before, he has had experience converting multiple camper vans, so had the necessary skills to hand. Firstly, they began ripping out all the old carpets and followed up with pulling up the original underlay, as well as staples in the floor. Speaking about the process, he said: 'We then replaced some of the chipboard that had been damaged by urine. 'The next stage was to clean everything to try and remove the smell, before moving on to decorating the whole house, which included the walls, ceilings, radiators and new skirting boards. 'In the lounge, we removed the electric fire and fireplace, and in the kitchen, we removed the lino, tiles and plywood. One room which needed a complete overhaul was their en-suite bathroom due to poor tiling, leakage and rotting floorboards, they purchased a new shower from Victoria Plumbing, cabinets from B&Q, as well as flooring from King's Carpets 'Next, we laid new wooden laminate floorboards and painted all the cupboards white.' Afterwards, they removed all the blinds on every window within the house and put up new curtains, as well as purchasing new furniture, including a sofa. Similarly in the office, only minimal work was done, including painting the walls a dark green shade and adding new shelving. While the work wasn't too intense, they've managed to transform the space to a 'comfortable level' using basic skills and tools - and estimate these rooms have cost them £2,400 in total. However, one room which needed a complete overhaul was their en-suite bathroom due to poor tiling, leakage and rotting floorboards. For the space, they purchased a new shower from Victoria Plumbing, cabinets from B&Q, as well as flooring from King's Carpets. Will said: 'The shower tiles weren't tiled in properly and therefore, the shower water leaked down the back of the shower and onto the chipboard floor, which was rotted completely. 'When we moved in, we turned the shower on and the water went straight through the floor into the living room below. 'Luckily, we have a builder in the family who had lots of experience and skills to help us with some advice. 'We also used the internet to look for options that were cheaper, such as Pinterest and Instagram. 'Along with the help from my partner's dad, we pulled off all the plastic tiles and deconstructed the old shower frame, before removing the shower tray to see the damage underneath. 'We took out the toilet, radiator and sink to inspect the rest of the floor, which was black and decomposing. 'After removing all the floor and wall tiling using a hammer and chisel, we saw the shower was leaking from the U-bend part of the pipe, which needed replacing. 'We had a plasterer come in and do all the walls, with an electrician installing some LED spot lighting in the ceiling, as well as a new extractor fan. 'After sticking on new skirting boards, we painted the bathroom a light green colour and purchased a new sink wall cabinet, shower glass and frame, as well as shower boards.' After three months, the space was complete - but two out of the three bathrooms still need a revamp in order to finalise the overall transformation. In total, they have spent an estimated £3,200 transforming the property and after starting work in October 2021 their gorgeous family home is nearly complete. In a recent valuation, the couple claims they have added over £35,000 to the value of their property - with an estimated price of £315,000.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Lad shares £10 DIY makeover using tester paints to recreate posh wallpaper – but his ‘wonky' bricks are bothering people
A DIY fan has shown off a super simple hack that gave his living room a mega makeover. So if your home could do with some TLC but you haven't got much cash to splash, then you'll need to listen up. 4 4 4 Rather than breaking the bank on posh brick-effect wallpaper, Trebor Newo was able to recreate the iconic look by using tester paint samples, for just a fraction of the price. But while we think Trebor's DIY transformation is pretty impressive considering it was done on a budget, the savvy man has left many people bothered by his "wonky" bricks. It all came after Trebor took to social media to show off his DIY overhaul, which cost him less than £10. Posting on Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, a private Facebook group with 2.6 million members, Trebor uploaded snaps of his orange and white tester paints, as well as images of his jaw-dropping wall mural. The DIY enthusiast revealed that thanks to his bargain buys, he spent just £9.90 on his brick-effect wall. Alongside his post, Trebor beamed: '£10 brick wall effect. Just buy four testers and a sponge.' He then added: 'Why spend silly money on wallpaper, blocks or plaster..' The savvy saver claimed that his DIY trick can be done on 'any wall', and involves 'no prep'. As well as this, he penned: 'The worse the wall, the better. Look at the cracks showing through..' Alongside his post, Trebor wrote: 'This was to match a picture and rug but choose your own colours and put some creativity and simple effort and be individual..' To create his brick-effect design, Trebor simply dipped a large sponge into his orange paints and stamped it onto his white wall. Then, between each rectangular shape, he used the thin side of a sponge to paint a white gap, in an attempt to mimic the look of a brick wall. As Trebor demonstrated his savvy idea, he explained: 'It doesn't matter if it's not the right shape, just add some white.' DIY fans react But Facebook users have been left divided by Trebor's wall design - while some thought it looked 'authentic', others weren't impressed with the 'wonky' look. One person said: 'Your pointing is off lol.' Another added: 'If [it] was straighter the bricks would look nice. If my house was like that I'd be worried why my bricks would be wonky, they need to be in a more straight line.' But to this, someone else replied and commented: 'I think that makes it look more authentic.'
